Father Knows Best
by frayyer
Summary: Most of the time, jealousy was never much of a problem. If there wasn’t something he could get with a smile and a few charming words or hard earned money, he learned to get on without it. But this? This wasn’t something you just got over with. Ch 2 up now
1. Chapter 1

Tony drummed his fingers absently on the steering wheel, waiting for the light to turn green. A brief glance at the radio clock told him that they had been on the road for two and a half hours so far. Only another two and a half hours left to go before they got back to HQ.

Gibbs had passed them up some time ago, driving even faster than he usually did. Tony was sure he would be driving like that too, if he was behind the steering wheel of a car like that. Reality was, he was driving a company car and had three passengers along for the ride. DiNozzo couldn't afford to play follow the leader, much to the disappointment of Ziva, who was currently entertaining herself with some book written in Hebrew. Abby and McGee didn't seem to mind how fast, or slow, he drove. They had both plugged in a pair of headphones fifteen minutes into the drive and hadn't taken them out since.

The quiet, calm of the car gave Tony plenty of time to think about their latest little adventure. Seeing the place where Gibbs was born and raised, and watching him and his father interact with each other had given Tony an insight into the man that no background check could have given him, no matter how thorough. It was odd to watch the two together. Gibbs and his father were nearly polar opposites of each other. Jackson Gibbs had an easy going, good humored sense about him, whereas Jethro Gibbs definitely did not. They had their similarities, too. Stubbornness definitely ran in the family; that much was obvious.

Tony's brain was still buzzing with lots of unanswered questions. But there was something else, too. A feeling he couldn't quite put his finger on. Before he could give that any more thought, a voice interrupted his reverie.

"You are awfully quiet," Ziva stated matter-of-factly, not looking up from her book.

Tony looked in the rear-view mirror to see if either of the back seat occupants had heard that. McGee was still occupying himself with his ipod and Abby was dozing lightly, her head resting on McGee's shoulder.

"Are you complaining? Because I can get a party started in here real fast if you'd like," Tony said, eyes tinged with amusement.

"That will not be necessary. I rather enjoy the peace and quiet much more than I enjoy incessant chatter," Ziva smiled.

"Are you insinuating that I-"

"Have to go to the bathroom," Abby declared from the back seat. She was now sitting upright, her eyes a little wider than normal.

"Abs, you just went like," Tony looked at clock and quickly did the math, "forty minutes ago. Can't you hold it a little while longer?"

"When you gotta go, you gotta go. Now pull over somewhere so I can go!"

"I could use a break too, Tony," McGee said, catching Tony's eyes in the mirror.

DiNozzo let out a sigh. Glancing to his right, he eyed Ziva. "What about you?"

"I suppose I could use a break also."

Maneuvering the car over to the right lane, he pulled into the next fast-food joint he saw. After guiding the car into a parking space, he put it in park and relaxed in his seat.

"Are you coming?" Ziva asked as she went to get out of the car.

"No need," Tony simply said. He reached to turn up the volume on the radio as his three teammates clambered out of the car.

Tony could hold it as long as need be. He wasn't about to give Ziva the chance to drive. Five o'clock was coming up and traffic would be getting heavy soon. He didn't want to be in the car while she was behind the wheel during this hour. He'd made that mistake once before and he vowed it would not happen again.

They made it back to the office roughly three hours later. Toward the end of the drive, they were all beginning to get a little cranky and frustrated. Too much time spent together in a small vehicle with little entertainment was not good for any of them. The only person who didn't seem to be bothered was Abby, who was her usual perky self. She bounded off towards Gibbs' desk as soon as the elevator doors opened.

"Hey, Bossman. How was your ride home?" Abby asked excitedly.

"It was good, Abs," Gibbs said with a small, but genuine smile.

"Good. Well I have to go see some nuns about a bowling ball," Abby exclaimed cheerfully. She leaned across Gibbs' desk so he could give her a kiss on the cheek. Once she was satisfied, she skipped off toward the elevator just as Ducky stepped off. "You guys have a great weekend!" she called over her shoulder.

Gibbs looked at his team, who were now all seated at their respective desks. "You all can head home now. Reports can wait until Monday."

The three younger agents glanced at each other. Gibbs was obviously in an unusually good mood and they weren't about to question it. Ziva and McGee already had their bags over their shoulders before Tony had reached down to pick his up. They passed Ducky on their way to the elevator, who wished them both a good night.

"Good evening, gentlemen," the older man greeted.

"Evening," they both responded.

"I take it your visit home was a good one," Ducky lifted a questioning brow in Gibbs' direction.

As Gibbs began to give Ducky the details on the case and his visit home, Tony gathered his things and turned his desk light out.

"Goodnight Ducky, 'night Gibbs," DiNozzo said. He didn't bother waiting for their response; both men were too occupied to have heard him anyway.

As the elevator doors closed, he leaned his head back against the wall and let out a sigh. Closing his eyes, he let himself relax for a moment.

And that's when it hit him.

That feeling that he couldn't name earlier, he found a name for it.

Jealousy.

Most of the time, jealousy was never much of a problem. If there wasn't something he could get with a smile and a few charming words or hard earned money, he learned to get on without it. But this? This wasn't something you just got over with.

Everyone craved love and approval from their parents. But not everyone got it.

Tony was one of those who didn't.

He could see that Gibbs and Gibbs Snr. had a somewhat rocky relationship, but at least they knew where they stood with each other. They had both feet on the ground, while Tony felt his father was somewhere high in the air, where he could never reach him, no matter how hard he tried.

Tony looked up to Gibbs. He was the closest thing to a father Tony had ever really had. He knew the older man cared for him, but he didn't expect Gibbs to feel the same about him. And why should he? He had his own father, once upon a time he had a real family, he had Ducky, he had Abby, and he had his team.

And who did Tony have? Family he never heard from, frat brothers he rarely saw, women whose names he easily forgot, cop buddies he got the occasional Christmas card from, and a team that he didn't usually see outside the office.

He let out another sigh, readying himself for what he knew would be a restless night.

* * *

**A/N: **Reviews would be greatly appreciated! The second part should uploaded in a few days.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Thank you so much for all the reviews, I really appreciate it! I would have updated soon, but school and work life have been crazy, and while in the process of writing this chapter, my computer died on me, so I had to rewrite most of it from memory. Because, of course, I don't save my work as often as I should :p Anyway, here's the final part, hope you enjoy!

A million different thoughts were bouncing around inside Tony's head, zigzagging from one side to the other, as if looking for a way out. But he couldn't be bothered with all those thoughts; he didn't want to be bothered with much of anything at the moment. He need a release, some sort of distraction, and he figured a club where there would be lots of gorgeous women, alcohol, and loud music would be distracting enough.

As Tony entered the club he was immediately assaulted with the smell of alcohol and the usual club music that was always played at a deafening level. Glancing around the place, he noticed he was already getting a few admiring looks from some of the ladies. This was exactly what he needed. The volume of music didn't allow for much talking, and even trying to hear himself think was difficult. The women provided him something to focus on, but if he couldn't keep himself focused on them, that's where the alcohol came in. With his game plan set, he took a seat in one of the bar stools and ordered a drink.

"What can I do you for?" asked the bartender, as he slung a rag over his shoulder.

"Whiskey sour. On the rocks," he said. After receiving his drink, Tony swiveled around in the bar stool to face the crowd of people standing around tables and dancing on the dance floor. Catching the eye of a twenty-something brunette in a black satin dress, he put on his patented DiNozzo smile and danced his way over to her table.

* * *

The sound of his front door opening came as no surprise to Gibbs. He'd been expecting a visit, just not this late. He listened carefully as the door was shut softly and quiet steps walked across the floor upstairs. A few seconds later, a shadow appeared in the doorway, where it paused. The dimly lit basement didn't offer much, but Gibbs didn't need the light. He knew who it was and he knew why there were here. The strong smell of alcohol that wafted down to where he stood and the way the shadow hid hesitantly at the top of the stairs made Gibbs' stomach drop slightly with concern. This could be worse than he thought.

"_Dammit, DiNozzo,_" he thought to himself.

Gibbs resumed what he was doing before Tony arrived, letting the rhythmic motions of sanding wood give him something to focus on. He didn't know what condition the younger man was in, how fragile he was feeling, so he wasn't going to open his mouth just yet and risk saying the wrong thing. In these types of situations, it was best to just let the younger man make the first move. Some days, Tony would come and just sit on the steps and silently observe Gibbs as he worked, especially after a rough case. Other days, he would help out and they would talk and laugh while sharing a meal and a couple of cold ones. The outcome of the night usually depended on what kind of mood DiNozzo was in. Gibbs was feeling wary of how tonight would turn out.

For a few moments, the only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of steady breathing and of sandpaper going over the wood of the boat, in a slow continuous motion. Eventually, the shadow stirred and headed down the stairs, almost painfully slow. He paused when he reached the bottom, as if he didn't know what he should do with himself next. Not stopping what he was doing, Gibbs glanced over to assess his senior field agent. Tony's hair was sticking up at odd angles and his shirt was only half tucked in. His eyes were slightly glazed and almost the whole left side of his shirt sleeve and shoulder were wet. That would explain the strong alcohol smell, and other than that, the Italian appeared to be physically unharmed.

All Gibbs wanted to do at that moment was take the man by the shoulders and shake him silly. Instead, he reached into a drawer and pulled out an old sweatshirt, tossing it side armed to his senior field agent, who caught it easily.

"Thanks, Boss," DiNozzo said. He untucked the rest of his shirt and slowly began unbuttoning it. After getting the wet shirt off and putting the clean, dry one on, he layed it over the stool, then leaned against the workbench.

Gibbs continued his work as DiNozzo looked on. Silence filled the air again, but it wasn't the same. Some people couldn't stand silences and were always saying something in order to keep conversation going, but Gibbs and Tony both were people who didn't mind just sitting in companionable silence. They didn't always need words to communicate, therefore they didn't always talk. Usually the silence had a comforting tone to it, but that comfort wasn't there this time. There was something weighty about it and it left Gibbs feeling unnerved.

Gibbs wasn't much of a talker, but he also wasn't into beating around the bush. When their was a problem, he would find a way to solve it, even if it meant pushing himself and those around him to their limits. There was definitely a problem with his senior field agent, and he was sure as hell gonna get to the bottom of it. But he would have to tread carefully. You couldn't always just take the bull by the horns when it came to Tony. The younger man had a knack for making things difficult, whether it was intentional or not. One wrong word or action would send DiNozzo sprinting back to the playboy detective-with-a-wild-edge-and-two-year-contract cocoon Gibbs had slowly been pulling him out of over the past few years.

So instead of just jumping right into things, he decided on an approach that would hopefully get the younger man talking.

"There a reason half your shirt is drenched in alcohol?" Gibbs asked, not looking up from his work.

Tony looked from Gibbs to the shirt and then back to Gibbs. "Well, not half. More like one-forth."

Gibbs turned his head around and gave DiNozzo a look that said '_Spill it or get head slapped_.'

"But uh, yeah, there's a reason. Don't think it's that good of a reason, though," DiNozzo said as he picked up a screwdriver and started fiddling with it. "I knew her name started with an M, but I wasn't sure if it was Marie or Maria or Mary. It's hard to hear in those clubs, you know? Anyway, we talked for a while and all was good in the beginning. But then she started talking about going on a double date with some co-workers of hers next week and some office function they were having in a month. She was getting all serious and shit, so I tried letting her know that I wasn't interested in a long-term relationship, or a relationship at all. But apparently I said they wrong thing, including her name, and I guess she decided that my shirt could do with some improvements that only alcohol could offer."

Gibbs couldn't help it, he let out a small laugh.

"Something funny, Boss?" Tony asked, amused.

"Been there myself," Gibbs said. He turned around and grabbed another piece of sandpaper off the workbench.

"Yeah, with three ex-wives, I imagine you'd know something about that," DiNozzo said.

Gibbs turned around again and gave DiNozzo a look that said he was dangerously close to crossing a line.

Realizing his mistake, DiNozzo quickly apologized, "Sorry, Gibbs. I didn't mean-"

"Take this," Gibbs said as he slapped a piece of sandpaper into Tony's open hand, "and make yourself useful."

"Yes, Boss," Tony said. He walked around to the other side of the boat directly across from Gibbs and got to work.

The two worked in silence for a few minutes, giving Gibbs time to think. DiNozzo was talking, but he wasn't saying anything that needed to be said. Not only that, it almost felt like Tony was trying just a little too hard to act normal, to seem happy. Truth was, DiNozzo looked exhausted and weary. Gibbs needed to change that, and fast.

Remembering part of a conversation he and Ducky had earlier that evening, he was going to have to offer up something before he could expect anything from DiNozzo.

"_Well, I'm glad to hear you two are trying to work things out. It won't be easy trying to rekindle a relationship that hasn't gone anywhere in nearly thirty years, but all you can do is take it one day at a time," Ducky said._

"_I know, Duck," Gibbs replied._

"_Oh dear, I hadn't realized Anthony left. I was hoping to have a quick word with him."_

_Gibbs looked across the bullpen to his senior field agent's desk and frowned._

"_Something is up with him, Duck."_

"_Yes, I would imagine so. That boys looks up to you as a father figure. To see you interact with your father had to be a bit..unsettling for him. Especially considering the relationship, or lack thereof, he has with his own father."_

"_How do I fix this?"_

"_Tell him how you feel about him, Jethro. It's the only thing you can do."_

"_I don't do feelings, Ducky. And plus, he should already know how I feel about him."_

"_Why? You slap him on the back of the head, you don't compliment him nearly as much as he needs to be."_

_Gibbs straightened up defensively. "I do that so he'll be the best damn agent he can be. He's got potential; he's observant and smart and intuitive. I'm only trying to help him."_

"_I know that, Jethro. But he doesn't. And he never will until you let him know how you feel. He won't talk unless you talk, unless he knows you want to listen."_

_Gibbs sighed. Ducky was right. Gibbs put off vibes that said 'leave your baggage at the door.' But that wasn't meant for the people he cared about, the people he loved. And he did love Tony, like a friend, like a son he never had. Gibbs didn't want to lose that, so if talking is what would save that, then he would talk. "I'll try, Ducky."_

Gibbs glanced up at DiNozzo. The Italian was completely focused on the task at hand, another thing Gibbs admired about him. When Tony DiNozzo set out to do something, he didn't do it half-assed. He put all he had into it, whether he was interrogating a suspect or whining about a paper cut.

"I ran away from home twice," Gibbs said, still sanding. " Once when I was 11 and then again four years later."

Years of undercover work helped Tony school his expression, but Gibbs caught the flicker of surprise that flashed in his eyes.

DiNozzo looked across the boat at Gibbs. It was rare for the older man to offer anything up about his life, so Tony would take his chance when the opportunity arrived.

"Mind if I ask why?"

"Got into a fight with my father, both times. We always had differences of opinion. Most of the time we could work it out. There were a few times, though, were it just got too crazy."

If Gibbs could do it, Tony figured he could, too.

"I was lucky if I got to see my dad. Most of the time he was away on business. After my mother died, our house sort of became his vacation home. It was like he'd be there for a few weeks at a time, but the majority he'd spend some other place, like New York or Hawaii."

Gibbs gritted his teeth, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white.

Seeing this, DiNozzo quickly said, "It was better that way. I think." He hesitated, not quite sure how to phrase the next part. "I'm sure you know we really didn't get along all that well. We had our differences of opinion, too, except ours weren't easily worked out. Sometimes they weren't worked out at all."

Gibbs looked at DiNozzo, who was wearing an expression on his face like he was wondering why Gibbs was putting up with him and more afraid that he wouldn't if he said any more.

"DiNozzo, your father-" Gibbs struggled to find the right words. No matter what was said or done, in the end, that man would always be Tony's father and nothing could change that. "You deserved more than what he gave you. He threw away one of the best things life has to offer."

"I know that, Gibbs," Tony looked down at his hands, fumbling with the sandpaper. "It's just sometimes, I don't feel like I'm worth all the trouble I cause."

"Tony, look at me." Getting no response, Gibbs got up and walked around to where Tony sat. "Look at me, DiNozzo," he said again.

Tony did as he was asked.

"You listen, and you listen good. You do not cause any trouble. Yeah, you can be a damn pain in the ass sometimes," DiNozzo flinched at that, but Gibbs went on, "but I wouldn't have it any other way. You're a good agent, but you're an even better man. You're smart, you're compassionate, and you're honest. You wouldn't be on my team if you weren't all that and more. I know I don't always say it, or really, I know I always say it the wrong way, but," Gibbs rested a hand on Tony's shoulder, and squeezed gently, "I'm damned proud of you, son."

Tony didn't bother to hide the delight at hearing those words. He stood up to face Gibbs properly. "Thank you, Boss," he said with as much sincerity as he could.

Wrapping his arms around the younger man, Gibbs had to admit it felt good to say all that. He could imagine Tony felt a hell of a lot better, too.

After a few seconds, they let go.

Hooking an arm around DiNozzo's shoulder, he steered them toward the stairs. "I'm hungry. Got a couple of steaks in the fridge we could chow down on."

"Sounds good, Boss," Tony smiled.

"Go take a shower and get cleaned up. By the time you're done, the food should be, too. You can sleep here tonight, spare beds all made up."

Tony coughed. "Well, I'd have to spend the night here."

"And why's that?" Gibbs asked.

"My car had a flat tire. I sort of walked here from the club," Tony said.

"You did what?"


End file.
